Shorts vs. Features: Choosing the Right Runtime Before You Shoot

At CKFF, a feature is 41 minutes or longer and a short is 40 minutes or under — and which side of that line your project falls on should be a decision you make before shooting, not one the edit makes for you.

A story that needs subplots, a supporting cast with their own arcs, or a ticking-clock structure with multiple setbacks usually needs feature length to breathe. A story built around a single want, a single obstacle, and a single turn is very often a short — and forcing it to feature length just means padding.

If you're not sure which your idea is, write the one-page outline first (see our filmmaking-tips post on that). If it fills a page with room to spare, it's a short. If it needs three pages before you've even reached the ending, you're probably building a feature — and should budget your shoot days accordingly.